WO 01/84542 discloses a cartridge for a medication delivery device, the cartridge carrying an identification code represented by a number of bars. The bars are arranged perpendicular to the axis of the cartridge. Each bar is along its entire length provided with an optical grating which diffracts and reflects light impinging the surface carrying the identification code. In this way a minor part of the impinging light is reflected from the surface of the bar as a set of light beams of which beams at least one is detected for the indication of the presence of the bar when said bar passes a reading light field. The reflections from the bars may be interpreted as representing “1”s and “0”s in a binary code. Thus, in order to read the identification codes suggested in WO 01/84542 a sophisticated optical detection system is required.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,152 discloses a cartridge for containing a fluid and for use with an electronic delivery device. The cartridge of U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,152 includes a housing for holding the fluid and an information providing source. The information providing source is coupled to the cartridge housing to operatively couple with the electronic delivery device to provide predetermined information regarding the cartridge to the electronic delivery device. For example, the information providing source may be a set of wires and contacts, or contact bands, that provide the predetermined information to the electronic delivery device by producing a binary code. Alternatively, the information providing source is a bar code that provides the predetermined information to electronic delivery device by reading of the bar code. The cartridge may be used in a system that includes an electronic delivery device, such as an electronic pen-type injector and/or infusion pump. It should be noted that in order to read the information providing source on the cartridge an electrical connection should be provided between the information providing source and the electronic delivery device.
WO 2004/084795 relates to marking of cartridges or similar devices. The marking can be in an electronically readable form while being transparent. The transparent conductor can be in form of a polymer, an ITO and the like. Similar to U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,152 electrical connections need to be established between the transparent conductors and an associated medication delivery device in order to read the marking.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,754 discloses a system for measuring the relative movement between two elements, such as the scale and slide of a hand-held measuring instrument. The system according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,754 includes the provision of a number of groups of supply electrodes on the slide. Each of these electrodes in each group being supplied from a respective one of a multiple number of output signals from a signal generator so that all of the supply electrodes are furnished with voltages according to a cyclic pattern. The slide also has at least one receiving electrode which feeds a signal processing unit. The scale is provided with an electronic pattern comprising internally galvanically connected parts, one being a detecting part, located close to the area where the supply electrodes of the slide are moved, the other of the two parts being a transferring part which is located close to the area where the receiving electrode of the slide is moved. The movement of the slide along the scale generates a signal from the receiving electrode which is derived from the signals from at least two adjacent supply electrodes and the position of the slide is determined by a signal processing unit which identifies the amplitude ratio of the received signals. Thus, the system suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,754 relates to an arrangement for detecting relative movements between two elements.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution involving an identification code in form of electrode elements arranged on the cartridge, said identification code being readable by an arrangement of transmitters and receivers arranges on an associated medication delivery device.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the identification code provided on medicament containing cartridges may be easily readable by contact free means. Thus, no sophisticated detection systems such as optical detection systems are required.